Monarch Crest Crank

Events

7:30AM MDT - 4:00PM MDT

Open to ages 12 - 100.

7:30AM MDT - 4:00PM MDT

11:30AM MDT - 4:00PM MDT

Description

It's our 25th ANNIVERSARY! The Monarch Crest Crank is a mountain bike event along one of IMBA’s Epic mountain bike trails - The Monarch Crest. Join us on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Salida for this long-standing fundraiser benefiting The Alliance, which helps victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

Your entry fee ($95) will include the ride, on-course support, a shuttle to the Crest and back to downtown Salida, and post-ride party at Riverside Park with food and beverage, music and more!

Please note - we have a 100 rider limit, and in 2022 the event sold out in early July, so register early!

We have a "virtual supporter" option too - so if you can't make it to Salida on Sept. 17, you can still help The Alliance and enjoy the vibe of this awesome ride from where ever you may be!

We've made adjustments to how we operate the ride for the health and safety of our participants and volunteers - please see our FAQs for details.

Place

Riverside Park
210 E Sackett St.
Salida, CO US 81201

Ride Website

Additional ride information can be found at http://monarchcrestcrank.com.

Ride Contact Info

If you have any questions about this ride, click the button below.

More about the Route and Training

The Monarch Crest Crank is run under special permits by the San Isabel Forest Service District, the Bureau of Land Management and the City of Salida.

The Monarch Crest has been named as an IMBA EPIC route. This is a high-altitude mountain bike ride that follows the Continental Divide above treeline for several miles before dropping thousands of vertical feet into the valleys below. You must be ready to ride 25 miles of trail that will take you 3-5 hours to complete. The first 10 miles are the most challenging with some steep climbs, thin air and challenging singletrack. Once you reach the top of Marshall Pass, you have two options for returning to the shuttle that will take you back to Salida.

The Silver Creek Singletrack descent is rutted, rocky and steep with some exposure/ledges– advanced singletrack.

The Marshall Pass Road is non-technical and very enjoyable – a 15 mile descent down a winding mountain road that was originally the railroad route for one of Otto Mear’s railway lines through the Rockies.

To get ready for these rides, you should build up gradually by doing longer and longer rides throughout the summer. The mileage of this ride is not especially high, but it’s a tough ride due to the terrain and altitude. By the time the ride starts, you should be able to ride comfortably on singletrack for 3+ hours. It’s difficult to offer a specific fitness plan, but if you have any doubts, please consult a fitness trainer with experience in cycling and he or she will develop a specific plan to help you complete the ride and still have fun at the same time.